Blame it on Rio
by DimitrisDuchess
Summary: Linda's life was simple, at least it used to be..
1. Chapter 1

_"Dance with a stranger.. Romance and Danger..." _

Linda Gunderson was the type of person who hated surprises. She liked everything to be perfectly in order and on schedule. Always her book store would open precisely at eight and close exactly at nine. Always took three sugars in her coffee and only a teaspoon of creme. Laid out her clothes before the next day and dust would gather around the objects on her shelves forming outlines of favorite books, trophies of spelling bee's past, and pictures of she and Blu growing up together.

As she slowly rolled over under the sheets she recalled Carnival and the following day. Finally finding her bird only to discover Blu could now fly and had grown very attached to Jewel. She didn't feel jealousy considering that was who he belonged with, his own kind. But it left her feeling very forgotten as he would zoom around the forest simulation room with Jewel in his claws. Smiling meloncholy smile, Tulio seemed to have taken a liking to her, especially after Carnival.

Never had she felt so humiliated. Standing ontop of a large float in something that would resemble almost like a playboy bunny,Blue Macaw in this case, as millions of Carnival fans cried out. Soon enough she found dancing to be fun even though she wobbled terribly in those platform shoes. Thankfully she had worn heels once in her life. Either way she was happy to no longer be in such a revealing outfit. Although it did make her feel somewhat empowered as Tulio would nearly drool while gazing at her.

Linda had never had alot of male attention due to the freckles on her face or her love of education and books. She was labeled a geek and pretty much the target throughout her high school years. Boys would ask her for help with their homework, but that was about it. Even her prom date came second place to Blu though. He was her life. And now, knowing he'd be living in the jungle, well it made going home to Minnesota seem empty. She got an extension on her stay in Rio thanks to Tulio having a cousin working at the ticket booth, but she knew soon enough she'd have to go back or would she?

_"Morning.." _

Hearing a voice right next to her, Linda turned over to see she wasn't alone in bed.

_Review..please. Por favor._


	2. Tulio's

_It sure took a while but here I am, ready to write yet another Chapter, and well since there are only two Linda/Tulio stories out there, I figured I'd write some stuff for our favorite pair of Bird Nerds.._

Tulio Monterio was one of seven in his large family. He grew up in the heart of Rio. His family wasn't the richest but they were far from poor. Their house was located just west of the main bustling city. He could recall days of walking to the market with his mother. Counting how many birds he could spot on the way to and from, along with collecting vibrant feathers. His interest in birds peaked at age seven when he happened upon a small red bird that had fallen from its nest. It's mother had probably been swiped at some point.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you.."

The young boy used some supplies from his fathers workbench to manufacture his own handmade nest. Since the attic in his house was practically empty, he'd hide the bird up there till it was strong enough to fly away. Well, months came and went and soon enough a year. As Tulio came down from the attic one morning his suspicious older brother had to wonder just what he had been doing up there for so long and ventured up there. Tulio returned home from school to find his bird gone and all his supplies vanished.

"But papa, I just wanted to help!" pleaded the boy with tears staining his face. "It-it was hurt.."

"Tulio Rodrigo Santoro Monterio! You know this house is not a zoo nor a jungle! If I ever find another animal in here you will be grounded all year long."

"But, Miguel.. he needed me.. I-.."

"The only thing you need is to bury your nose into your school work!"

But as the years went on Tulio continued to care for birds just in a different way. Considering his siblings were older than he was and thus it was his "lab" and "treatment center." Everyday after school, he would claim he was out there studying. Little did the family know he was tending to broken wings and feeding small hungry birds.

* * *

><p>By the age of fifteen, his bird fascination fully blossomed into an obsession, making him the target of school bullies. It didn't help that he was a rather skinny gawky looking teenager with thick rimmed glasses, he refused to wear contact lenses. So even his siblings would join in and at times their father encouraged it. Telling him he'd grow a thicker skin. His mother didn't even step in as she was confused about her own son's behavior, which was simply put; not normal.<p>

"Your brothers are all very talented in sports and yet you want to bury your nose into a book about damn birds! What career is that?"

"Papa, it is called Ornithology, its a highly respected form of Zoology. I am going to be an Ornithologist and help out birds that are endangered by the black market in this city and country.." Tulio stood his ground even though he was holding an ice pack up to his eye covering a rather bold shiner from a boy who was in his math class.

His father sighed and turned away from him. "You are.. a disappointment.."

And from that day on Tulio spaced himself as far as he could from his family. By the age of twenty-one it seemed that things were finally turning around as he met a girl at school who shared his passion for birds. Within one year he proposed, hiding the ring inside a fake egg. Everything seemed perfect, he would marry this girl and prove to his mother and father he could be happy like his oldest brother the futbol star for the team of Brazil. But alas, within just a few months the marriage turned into an annulment due to Tulio's internship at the Aviary. He graduated with honors only to have no one to celebrate it with.

_"It seems to me you love birds more than your own kind!"_

After that Tulio became rather depressed. His house, while large and extravagant was empty. The bird-man was so saddened by his own life so, he just married himself to his work. Even at the slightly interest being shown in him by a girl, he ignored. And since he was so involved in his work, most gals steered clear of him. A couple years later while Tulio was working late into the night, the door slammed open.

"Tulio! Come quick!"

The ornithologist ran over as the men pulled up a box, inside was a small female spix macaw. His golden brown eyes went wide.

_**"How?**_!"

What lay before them was indeed rare. The Spix macaw was completely extinct in the wild and rare even in conservations and yet laying before them was a female. The bird slowly opened her eyes and then took off from the desk going in circles as she tried to find a way out of this strange place.

"We'd best sedate her, before she damages herself."

After a long struggle, and many scrapes, bites, and gauges. They had gotten the bird into a caged area. "Great work gentlemen.. I must say this is truly a sign."

Tulio walked over to the computer as the men followed him looking confused. Upon flipping the screen there on the website of the Blue Macaw bookstore in Moose Lake MN was a red head with large glasses gleaming while a male bird sat on her shoulder.

"A male? And_ female_? This species might actually have a chance!"

** ((I thought Tulio deserved a backstory.. and don't worry.. this will get better and more exciting.. we may even hear from his horrible parents once again. R and R please.**


	3. Chapter 3

_I just LOVE this couple! Watched Rio today once more.. well with a friend who hadn't seen it. I'm trying to spread the movie all around, get it more familiar. But anyway.._

There was a high pitched beeping once the alarm clock went off. Linda heard the alarm and groaned rolling over and reaching for it.

"Darn thing."

Slowly adjusted her eyes to the surrounding area, Linda found she wasn't in her guest room, but instead in an unknown area. The walls were a coffee-brown with a mass array of photos of a small boy with large glasses holding different birds.

_"Mmm,..morning."_

She flipped around so fast their heads collided_, hard._

Linda's head was throbbing as she checked to see if her nose was bleeding from the collision. She could barely comprehend what she was doing in bed with_ him_. She cautiously lifted back the blankets seeing they were both still fully clothed. Sighing with relief before turning to Tulio who was nursing a slightly bleeding nose.

"Lind-ah.. let me explain.." he winced holding his nose.

"Do you have any ice?"

After he nodded, she ran off to the kitchen leaving him sitting there, then she returned with a rag filled with ice. "Here, this should ease and stop the bleeding. Put it on the back of your head."

After a bit, his nose had stopped and the ornithologist placed his glasses back on. "Linda, I..we didn't do anything.._"_

* * *

><p><em>Slowly she was recalling the night before..<em>

Tulio had taken her to an exclusive samba club to try and ease Blu's departure. Sure she'd still see him from time to time, but he knew how close the bird and her were. Linda had never been a fan of alcohol, since it mainly led to unwanted problems, but tonight she could stomach a shot or two.

"Linda, you mustn't be sad, Blu is right where he belongs and with you living here, you will probably see him once in a while." He mused.

"I know.. but well he's been a huge part of my life but now that Jewel is healed, and they've taken off off.." She sighed.

After that Tulio went from being her date to a chaperon, Linda had obviously taken more than a few shots of liquor. He finally pulled the drink out of her hand as she had climbed upon a table. Linda was crazy with the drink in her system, shouting, singing horribly loud (he supposed that's where singing like a drunkard came from) and laughing almost maniacally.

Upon reaching his door she grabbed him by the shirt collar and kissed him hard. He just about swallowed his tongue from the shock. He could taste the alcohol in her breath and tried to push her back. He knew this was wrong and that other men wouldn't be so quick as not to take advantage of her as he placed her on his bed since she collapsed her legs half way down the hall. He sighed and flopped down beside her, he was too tired to change into his pj's for now.

He learned one thing more about her that night; she snored like a bear in winter.

* * *

><p>"Tulio, I.. I know you wouldn't do such a thing.. it was just well a bit of shock.."she akwardly scratched the back of her head. "Did I.. do anything embarrassing..while..."<p>

"Well, it was nothing except for you belting out the song playing in the bar." Tulio chuckled. "Even if it was in Portuguese. You mostly just said "Tico Taco.. ya ya ya.."

Linda turned brick red. She didn't want to remember that night now and mentally swatted herself for even taking one drink. She felt him touch her arm and she smiled over to him.

"Well, I really don't have things here to make breakfast, would you mind if we went out?" he offered and Linda nodded heading off to the guest restroom for a shower and scouring her teeth with her brush before using just about all her mouthwash to cleanse her of the scent.

_Well, seems Linda doesn't hold her alcohol well now does she.. lol.. R and R.. but Tulio is a sweet guy :)_


End file.
